I had to do it...
Moms View Message Board: Parenting Discussion: Archive July-December 2005:
I had to do it...
The other day I was out running errands when I noticed something "not right" about the carseat in the vehicle parked next to me. I took a closer look and realized they had an infant carrier seat installed forward facing. Yikes! Very unsafe! I hung around for a little bit in hopes the owner would come out but had to get home before my kids got home from school.
I decided to be prepared in case I saw any big child passenger safety no-nos in the future. I usually don't say anything, unless during a car seat clinic of course, because people don't typically take well to unsolictied advice, but in certain cases I feel compelled to do something. I made up note paper with my name, CPS Tech title and e-mail addy. I also printed out literature concerning various carseat topics to keep in my van.
Well, yesterday I noticed the same vechicle. They must be employed at one of the stores. I left a short note...
"Your particular car seat is for rear facing only. It's not safe to use forward facing. Please refer to the instruction manual. A convertible car seat is the next step after an infant carrier car seat. For a free car seat inspection go to: www.seatcheck.org."
I included a flier about the new CT child restraint laws, which require infants to stay rear facing until at least 12 mos. AND 20 lbs., and explains the different car seat stages. They may ignore it but at least I tried. Funny thing is, I was out again today and noticed that same vehicle in the same parking lot. It was killing me not to go look to see if they had fixed the car seat. I'm very curious, yet part of me doesn't want to know. I've done all I can do at this point without stepping on any toes.
Just thought I'd share my obsession with you. LOL! Seriously though, obviously these parents didn't read the instructions and aren't aware of the danger their baby is in. Argh!
Well now it's killing ME, Trina, so go look next time!!!
It must have been hard to get that seat strapped in the wrong way! Was it just the seat, or the base that was strapped in?
You did the right thing.
uh Trina, ya have to go look and let us know! I have often thought about doing the same thing, but I have no credentials. I do speak up on occasion though!
Oh you definitely have to look and tell us! You can't leave us hanging! LOL. You did a really good thing.
You have to go look, Trina! Do it for us LOL
Yeah, enquiring minds want to know!
We must know! Also- can you give me some stats on not putting your child in a car seat at all??? I saw a young neighborhood mother drive up the other day with the baby in HER ARMS in the front seat!!! I almost died! I have given her literature before on other subjects and she has responded well so I really wanted to get something for her on this !!
Thanks!
I see unrestrained babies in taxis all the time ...  Isn't there something the driver can do?
You have to look, Trina - just to see if you've had an effect.
Ame
Please look Trina! It's killing all of us not knowing!
I see little kids in the front seat of a car all the time. They don't even have the kids in a booster seat. I can not IMAGINE putting my 6 yr old in the front seat of my car! She is so little!
ugh!
Trina, you did the right thing by leaving them a note.
Good for you, Tina. I hope you look when you see the vehicle again. Like everyone else, I'm dying of curiousity.
By the way, did you also provide information on where to get help in paying for a carseat if you are low-income. I suspect some of the stores only pay minimum wage, and I know carseats are expensive. Maybe they didn't get the next level up because they can't afford it.
Yes, do LOOK!
I'll be out and about tomorrow and will look for the car mentioned above to see if anything has been changed. Didn't realize so many of you would be so curious. LOL!
Hlgmom, it's ILLEGAL, not to mention VERY UNSAFE, for kids to ride unrestrained and/or in the front seat. I don't have time now to dig up specific links but check here:
**Child Passenger Safety and Car Seat Resources**
Ame, Unfortunately, in most states taxis are exempt from child restraint laws. However, just because something is "legal" doesn't necessarily mean it's "safe".
Ginny, most Car Seat Inspection Stations have new car seats on hand for needy families. At the Car Seat Clinics I've taken part in, we either sold car seats to families for a small donation or given them away. All children leave the clinic appropriately restrained.
Oh I want to know too!!
We have this neighbor that never restrains her kids. Ages 7 and 4. Her 4 year old walks around freely while she drives. And he is also allowed to ride in the "trunk" of the van. He stands back there while she drives. This isn't just down the street driving. This is on the highway between towns. Speed limit 65mph. Her father and her brother are both highway patrolmen. You'd think she would be different. I have wanted so bad to report her, but I know she would find out that it was me. She isn't overly friendly to begin with. Kind of snotty.
OMG Breann, I wouldn't care if she found out it was me. If something happened to those kids I would feel responsible. I always use my cell phone to report idiotic parents that don't properly restrain.
Is this the same neighbor that leaves her 2 youngest at home in the morning to take the oldest to school? I am pretty sure you mentioned something like that a while ago.
Any update, Trina? 
Yikes, Breann! That's VERY scary! Especially when her father and brother are patrolmen.  Are they aware she allows the kids to ride unrestrained? I think I'd still report it, for the safety of the kids.
Melanie, I've been busy and haven't had any reason to go to that particular plaza. I was hoping to run errands and go shopping (and check to see if that car seat has been fixed!) yesterday but DD was home sick from school. Looks like she'll be staying home today, too.
I am sorry to hear B isn't feeling well! I hope she is better very soon!
Well, I finally got a chance to check that vehicle (mentioned above) to see if they fixed the car seat. They have not. Oh well, I tried.
Darn. Well, you did try.
I'm sorry, that really makes me mad. You should feel good about the fact that you tried to help.
At least you tried Trina, and you should give yourself major credit for that one. Unfortunately ignorance seems to run high when it comes to the proper use of child restraint seats.
I recently moved into a new development and there is a family down the street from us with two adorable 3 year old twin girls. We've met up with them at the park a few times, and from the way that "mom" portrays herself she very VERY safety concious when it comes to her girls. The other day I was getting my girls in the van to go pick up the older siblings from school and the two little girls from down the street drove past me with daddy in daddy's truck. The two little girls were standing up on the passenger front seat and leaned over to the window to shout out hellos to us as they drove by. I should also mention that he has two carseats installed and ready to go in the back of his truck.
It never ceases to amaze me how many parents will forego the few minutes it takes to strap a child in for their own "convienience".
I hope and pray these parents don't learn the err of their ways the hard way. *Heavy Sigh*
Nice you see you posting again, Jennln!
I had a question about trucks...is it legal for an infant seat to be in a truck with no back seat as they would have to be in the "front" seat???
It seems unsafe to me and I have a neighbor who does this!!
My dh has a truck without an extended cab, so my dks have to ride in the front when they ride with him BUT, there is also a switch to turn the airbag off in the passenger seat. So, when one of our dks ride in his truck, he makes sure the airbag is turned off.
and...Trina, that is too bad that they didn't fix the carseat. It just amazes me how many dks that I see that aren't in a carseat/booster, when they should be.
Hlgmom, child restraint laws differ from state to state so I'm not sure about the "legality" in your case, but you're correct that it's not recommended to put car seats in the front seat.
More info, taken from CarSeat.org in the FAQ section.
Can I put my child in the front seat of a pickup truck?
Many pickup trucks have back seats that are too small for child safety seats. Researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have found that the risk of injury to children riding in the back seat of a compact extended-cab pickup truck is five times higher than when riding in any other vehicle. Injuries appear to be caused by hitting the inside of the pickup.
If you have a larger pickup with a back seat that faces the front of the truck, a safety seat may be installed there if the truck’s manual recommends it and at least 80% of the safety seat’s base sits on the truck seat cushion. You can reduce the risk of injury for forward-facing children by tethering the safety seat. Using a top tether can greatly reduce the chance of a child’s head striking the interior of the pickup.
Installation of a safety seat on a side-facing jump seat is not allowed by any child restraint manufacturer.
If you must install a safety seat in the front seat of a pickup truck, disable the air bag by using the air bag on-off switch. If an on-off switch is not available, you may ask NHTSA to let you have one installed. Until a switch can be installed, do not transport a rear-facing child in the front seat. Some passenger air bags will expand to cover the center seating position, so installing a safety seat in that location may be dangerous to your child. Check the vehicle owner’s manual to find out where child safety seats may be installed. Installing a safety seat in the front seat of any vehicle increases the risk of death to your child by more than 30%, so a pickup truck without a back seat is not the safest choice for transporting a child.
State Child Restraint Laws
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